Recently, there have been developed pressure transducers based upon the galvanomagnetic technology or Hall effect, which defines the relationship between an applied magnetic field, an applied constant current (constant under all conditions of magnetic field and temperature) and the resultant voltages generated across or through a semi-conducting material. Such transducers may include a Hall effect sensor which is mounted on a diaphragm and located between two magnets so that the sensor moves when pressure is applied to the diaphragm.
However, in such devices, the desired linearity of the response curve, voltage output vs. pressure, is not achieved. This non-linearity applies in part because the displacement of a flat, rigidly mounted diaphragm follows a third power law, d.sup.3, where d is the diaphragm displacement and in part because over small distances, the magnetic field intensity is proportional to a squared function, 1/r.sup.2, where r is the distance from the magnet. Except under certain limited conditions and over small pressure ranges, the combination of these two factors, diaphragm displacement and magnetic field variation, typically results in a non-linear response curve of the type illustrated schematically by curve 9, FIG. 9.